For the first time in a while, I'm actually stuck trying to find something to wear. I want to dress comfortably but I actually want to look like I tried. But if I could wear sweats out and look good, I would.

I spend around twenty minutes staring into my closet and another ten just pacing up and down my room. Suddenly there was a knock on my door. I walk over and unlock it, letting whoever it is come in.

"Hey freshman!" An annoyingly loud voice calls out soon as my door opens.

I turn lazily to see my sister, who is actually happy to see me. That's weird.

"I'm not a freshman yet" I state, staring into my closet again.

"Well you're almost there so why not?" Valerie replies smartly, crashing on my bed.

I pull out a cute dress and hold it against me, deciding whether to wear it or not. I wanna look good but I don't wanna look like I'm just wearing this for Jesse. Because I'm not!

"Where you going?" Nosey Valerie asks, smiling at me weirdly.

"Mall" I reply, not really in the mood to talk.

We used to be so close when she was still in high school. Ever since she went away for college I feel like we don't have anything in common anymore. It started with her coming home almost every weekend to see me and now she's hardly ever here and all her spare time is spent with her friends.

I remember saving every juicy bit of gossip from McKinley just to spill it to her over the weekend. We would talk and laugh for hours over some stupid thing the jocks did.

"Okay, did I do something? Because you're acting as if I don't exist" Val exclaims, sitting up on my bed.

I fold my arms and turn to face her, the dress still in my hand.
"What do you mean?"

"I don't know! You tell me. You didn't even say 'hi' or 'yay, you're home!'. What's up with you?" She spits angrily, her eyes boring holes through my face. 

I can't tell her. She'll say I'm being dramatic. Brush it off, Rose.

"It's nothing. I have a mall date with my friends and I don't know what to wear" I explain, shoving the dress back on the hanger.

"Huh!" Val gasps, looking at me wide-eyed. "You have friends?!"

"Oh ha-ha" I say sarcastically, flipping her off.

Valerie bursts out laughing before getting up off the bed and coming to stand beside me by the closet. I assume she's going to help and I'm atleast abit grateful for that because her fashion sense is obviously better than mine. Although sometimes she can overdo it.

"This dress is pretty. You should totally wear this" she says, handing me a cute summer dress.

"It's been a while since I've worn this out. Okay, this will do" I say to myself, holding the dress up to examine it.

"See? Pretty" Valerie comments, shoving at my side before exiting the room.

She loves me but has a very funny way of showing it. Idiot.

《×》

"Dad, can I atleast have my phone for today? Please, I'll give it back when I get home" I beg my cold-hearted father, who was just staring at me with a stunned face. He's mocking me.

"Dad?!" I exclaim, waving my hands infront of his face, hoping to get a reply, or at least his attention.

"Huh? Oh yeah, no" He says sharply before carrying on with his paperwork.

"Ugh, this is so unfair!" I groan out loud, stomping to the front door.

"Can you afford to fix the tiles if you break them with your stomping?" Dad shouts out, making me roll my eyes.

I don't bother answering, I just continue out.

"Yep, didn't think so!" I hear him yell out as I slam the door.

Ugh. He's so annoying sometimes! I just can't! I mean, how is he my dad?!!

Just as I'm about to take a seat on the steps, I see mom bringing in the groceries.

"What's with the long face, honey?" She asks, giving me a smile.

"Your husband's being very unfair to me, mom" I say through gritted teeth, looking at the ground.

She chuckles to herself before locking the car and walking up the steps.

"Be glad he even let you go out today. You know to him grounded means grounded."

"Yeah, right. He only let me go because I need a dress for prom and Jesse volunteered to take me."

"That's enough darling or I'll send you back inside to spend the day with your father" Mom tells me before heading inside the house.

As if on cue, Jesse appears at my driveway looking really, really good.

"Daniels, you ready or what?" He shouts, his hands in the air.

I laugh at his goofiness and make my way towards him, still grinning like the loser that I am.

Right on time, Zed's car pulls up beside us.

"Rose!" Chloe calls out, her head out the window and a huge smile on her face.

"Our ride's here. Let's go" I tell Jesse, pulling his hand towards the car. Chloe squeals with delight as we squeeze into the backseat.

"Rose, you guys look great!" Sara squeals, squeezing the palm of my hand in excitement.

"Oh no, we're... we're not--" I stutter, pointing between Jesse and I. 

"Thanks" Jesse cuts me off, giving a nod at Sara.

I sit back, completely stunned.

《×》

Chloe. I wanted to strangle her with her own hair. She was making it so awkward for me. Every ten minutes she would look back at me and wiggle her eyebrows. I wanted to burst out laughing at her ridiculous self but I held it in, grinning like an idiot.
Just you wait till we get out this car.

"Hey man, I didn't know you were hanging with Daniels now. What's that about?" Nosey Zed asks, siding Jesse through the rear view mirror.

Oh boy.

"That's none of your business, Zed" I reply hastily, not even giving Jesse the opportunity to answer that stupid question.

Chloe reaches out and shoves Zed's shoulder, telling him to shut up. But he only laughs at her.

"Well if you must know, we've been hanging out for a while now" Jesse answers the moron, while looking at me.

I look down at my lap and fiddle with my fingers, the slightest smile appearing on my ratchet face.

"She's pretty fun" Jesse continues, this time looking out the window.

"Yeah, she is" Zed replies, shocking both me and Chloe. My eyes grew wide and so did Chloe's because she turned around and stared at me.
I shrugged my shoulders and gave her a blank look.

《|×|》